Feeding mechanism for tamper cotton-presses.



APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 24, 1911.

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

/ /AAA P. LEE. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TAMPER COTTON PRESSBS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1911.

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

chamber by a tramping mechanism.

ignated, in some Instances, a trip apron,

UNITED smr ps i grnnr OFFICE.

FELIX L. LEE, 0F DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO CONTINENTAL GIN COMPANY, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TAMPER COTTON-PRESSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 24, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FELIX L. LEE,a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for Tramper Cotton-Presses, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference ,being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

The present invention relates to a cotton feeding mechanism which is primarily adapted for use in connection with that type of presses-popularly known as tramper presses. In presses of said type the cotton is fed into the upper end of a press or baling chamber and is pressed down into said In order that the parts may be automatic in their action provision is made in such presses whereby the cotton fed into the press box will upon a suflicient accumillatimnflair tomatically operate mechanism for causing the tramper to descend. The part which is directly acted upon by the accumulated cotton isusually in the form of a pivoted or movable apron, or gate, which has been desthere being suitable connections operated by the movement of the apron under the intlu ence of the accumulated cotton, to open the valves or actuate mechanical appliances for releasing or causing the tramper to descend, and the present invention has in contemplation the use of a pivoted or movable apron or gate against which the accumulated cotton may act for the purpose herein above stated, although the invention of the present application has to do more particularly with the means whereby the cotton is pushed into and across the upper end of the press box in order to secure a uniform and positive action.

The invention consists primarily in a feeding mechanism forthe cotton, embodying a flexible or sectional cotton engaging apron or pusher, which will pcriodimilly ex tend itself over a portion of the cotton to be fed to the ,press, and passing down behind or pressing into the same, will, by proper manipulation, force the cotton in front of it forwardly into and across the top of the press box when the latter is substantially full, this action being successively repeated during the operation of the feeding mechanism.

The invention consists further in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts all as will be hereinafter described and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, looking at one side of a feeding mechanism embodying the present improvements, the representation of certain of the cooperating mechanisms being more or less diagrammatical, or in outline; Fig. 2 is a perspective view looking at the front of the operative or moving parts of the feed mechanism; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view looking at the opposite side of the parts shown in Fig. 2 the frame and inclosing walls being in the main omitted in both Figs. 2 and 3.

Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

In said drawings, the letter A indicates a chute or slide, to which the cotton is delivered from a condenser or other supply not illustrated herein, and down which the cotton is caused to travel into the open upper end of a. press box indicated by the letter B. Above the press box there is a power actuatcd tramper C, the construction of which press box or at the mouth of the press box, 7

after the press box is substantially filled with loose cotton.

'1 he means whereby the pressure of the acrummulated cotton may be made eifective is a movablc'part of some character which will be substantially unaffected so long as the cotton is free to drop down into the press box itself. As indicated in the accompanying drawings, a swinging gate or apron D is provided, located immediately above the side of the press box opposite the chute A, and in such position that it will be swung outwardly by the cotton accummulated above and being pushed across or transvcrsely'of the mouth of the box. When .50

swung, the gate or apron through mechanism not illustrated herein and of well understood character, causeshahe tramper to operate so as to push the accumulated cotton I E above the chute A is a transverselyextending cranked shaft F, said shaft being adapted to be rotated iIr-thedirection indicated by the arrow, by any suitable form of gearing, preferably, however, by a sprocket chain f receiving its motion from a sprocket wheel f which may'conveniently be mounted on one of the shafts ofthe condenser or mechanism for supplying cotton to the chute. The cranked or off-set portion of the shaft F has hung orjournaled upon it a depend ing feeder. board G, and to the lower edge of this feeder board G there is jointed a feeder apron H, the opposite edge of said feeder apron H being jointed to a support it which may conveniently take the form of a transverseshaft or bar suitably supported at its ends, preferably in bearings h, Fig. 2, carried by the sides of the chute or press frame.

The jointed connections at opposite ends of the apron H, and the joint between the feeder board Gr and'crank shaft will permit of a rotation of the shaft and a movement of the jointed parts which will cause the lower edge of the feeder boardand upper edge of the apron to pass down behind any cotton in or on the lower portion of the chute and to force the said cotton downwardly and then forwardly over the 0 en end of the press box. If the box be 1111, said, cotton will be pushed-straight across and, will actuate the gateor apron D as heretofore described.

' In the preferred construction the feeder :apron H is a flexible or jointed sectipnal structure convenient-1y formed by slats connected' together by joints at the r edges or "by flexible. strips H, Fig. 2, such a con- 'struction being desirable, inasmuch as it will wrap around or bow itself over the cotton on the lower portion of the chute, and'as the feeder board G reaches the lower por;

tion of its movement, said apron will be straightened out more orlessj thereby imparting to the cotton in advance of the same an increasedfOr ward impulse,.'without-the apron. itself or the lower' portion 'of the feeder board projecting into the line of'the tramper. Obviously, in this position, the apron H will in effect form one side of the passage through which .the tramper may l'descend, and. thus constitute an upward extension of the side wall of the press box, thereby preventing any squeezing back of I the cotton fed over the press box.

The feeder board G is preferably substantially rigid and may be of iron, wood, fiber, or

other suitable material, preferably substantially plain and smooth on the side next the chute, but on the rear side it maybe provided with ribs g, whereby it is strengthened and whereby sliding bearings will be afforded for properly directing its upward movement, as, for instance, by contact with the transverse bar it or the slatted apron connected thereto.

An upwardly projecting feeder board extension K is provided at the upper edge of the feeder board G above the cranked shaft F, such extension being in the preferred is at the lowest portion of its orbit, and

will in effect at such time form a deflector for directing the entering cotton downwardly onto the chute, behind the feeder board and apron.

The mechanism is such that it will not only. handle and feed a large quantity of cotton in a given time, but it has a large capacity for receiving and storing cotton during the tramping operation, which cot-T1 ton Wlll in no wise'interfere with or prevent the correct operation of the feederwhen it is again desired to feed cotton to the press box.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In apress feeder of'the character specified, the combination with a crankshaft, afeeder board depending therefrom, a feeder apron jointed to the lower end ofsaid feeder board, a support for the opposite end of said feeder apron, and a chute for support-' ing the cotton below said feeder board-and apron.

2.'Ina feeder for presses, such as described, the combination with a supply chute,"'and a crank shaft, of'a feeder embodying members 'jointed together andpivotally supported by the crankshaft at one end, and a fixed support for the opposite end of said jointed members.

' 3. In a feeder for presses such as de scribed, the combination with a cotton supply chute, of feeder members jointed together at their meeting edges, a support for 25 pending from said crank shaft, feeder thelower edge of the bottom feeder member, and a rotary crank shaft from which said feeder members are suspended, and to which the upper member is pivotally connected at the top.

4. In a feeder for presses such as described, the combination with the supply chute and rotary crank shaft, of a feeder board pivotally supported on and depending from the crank shaft, 21 flexible feeder apron connected at oneedge to the bottom of the feeder board, and a support for the opposite edge of said apron.

5. In a feeder for pressessuch as, de-

' scribed, the combination with a supply chute and a crank shaft located above said chute,

' of a feeder board depending from said crank shaft, a slatted flexible feede'r apron connected at one edge with the bottom of said feeder board, and a support for the opposite edge of said sliding apron.

6. In a feeder for presses such as described, the combination with a supply chute and a rotary crank shaft located above said chute, of a feeder board carried by and deapron jointed to thelower edge of feeder board, a support for the opp'psite edge of the apron, and a feeder board extension projecting above the crank shaft.

,7. In a feeder for presses such as described, the combination with a' supply chute, and a crankshaft mounted above said chute, of a feeder board depending from said crank shaft, a feeder apron jointed to the lower edge of the feeder board, asupport'for' the opposite edge of the apron, a feeder board extension pivot-' ally supported above the crank shaft, and a link connections'for guiding said feeder board extension.

8. In a feeder for presses such as described, the combination with a su ply chute, and a crank shaft mounted ab said-chute, of a feeder board depending from said crank shaft, a feeder apron jointed to the lower edge of the feeder board, a support for the opposite edge of the apron, a feeder board extension pivotally supported above the crank shaft, and supporting guides for the feeder board extension.

9. In a feeder for presses such as described, the combination with the supply chute and crank shaft, of a substantially rigid feeder board depending from said 'crank shaft, a substantially rigid, pivotally supported feeder board extension projecting above the crank shaft, a flexible feeder apron connected to and depending from the feeder board, a. support for the opposite edge of the apron, and link connections for guiding the feeder board extension.

FELIX L. LEE. Witnesses:

EUGENE MUNGER, B. H. GRAHAM. 

